Knockdown paper box



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VARREN Il. IAIOVE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

KNOCKDOWN PAPER BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 556,67 5, dated March17, 1896.

Application tiled May 6, 1895.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WARREN 1). llowE, of Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Knockdown Paper Boxes; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which forni a part of this specifica tion.

This invention relates to an improved paper box of that kind known as aknockdown box, or one in which a fiat blank is used,which may be shippedin its dat or unfolded state and set up when desired for use by thefolding or interlocking of its parts.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and pointedont in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure l is aperspective view of a box embodying my invention, the same being shownin readiness for filling. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of one end of thebox in a. partially-folded state. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a blank formaking the box shown in Figs. l and 2. Fig. a is a perspective View of abox slightly different from that shown in Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a similarperspective view of still another modiiication of said box. Fig. (i is aperspective view of a box combining the fea tures shown in Figs. 4 and5. Fig. is a view of one end of a box partially folded, illustrating aconstruction slightly different from that shown in Fig. 1.

The construction of the illustrated box will be b est understood bydescription of the bl ank, which is seen unfolded in Fig.

Referring to the parts of said blank, A ind icates the central partthereof, which forms the box-bottom.

B and C are side parts, which form the front and rear walls of the box.

D is a part which is attached to the rear wall C and which forms the topof the box, and CZ is a flap or tuck at the free edge of the part D. Atthe end of the part A are two flaps F E, made of the saine width as thebottom and which form the exterior surface of the box ends when the boxis folded.

At the Serial No. 548,282. (No modelv outer end of said flaps E E aretongues e e, having lateral projections or tucks e e. At the ends of thefront wall B are rectangular fiaps F F, made of the same width as thesaid front wall, and at the ends of the rear wall C are similarrectangular flaps G G. Said tlaps F and G are preferably m ade of thesame width as the front and rear walls, or, in other words, of a widthequal to the height of the box. At the outer side edges of the iiaps G Gare provided two flaps H II, which are severed from the top wall D bytransverse cuts d4 di, so thatthey are joined to the rear side edges ofthe flaps G, the said iiaps II being made equal in width to the lengthof the said side iiaps G. The width of said flaps Il will be madepractically equal to the width of the top of the box, and commonly thelength. of the flaps G will also be made equal to the width of the box;but said iaps G may be made shorter than the width of the box withoutaifecting the operation of the parts, although preferablythe ends of theiiaps G are arranged on a straight line with the sides of the flaps II,as shown in the drawings. Said flaps II are provided each with slots orslits 7i 7i, adapted for engagement with lateral projections or tucks ee' of the tongues e.

XVhen a blank constructed as described is folded, the front and backsides B and C are bent at right angles to the bottom A, and the endflaps F and G are overlapped, thereby bringing the ilaps II II in avertical position across the end of the box, as seen in Fig. 2. The endflaps E E of .the bottom are then folded upwardly and the projections ee' of the iiaps e tucked into the slits 7i 7L. The iiaps Il Il and thetongues e c are then folded inwardly over the open top of the box andthe top l) then folded down over the flaps II. The iiap d may then besecured by insertion within the upper edge of the front wall B orotherwiseas, for instance, by the insertion of its corners into slit-sZ) l), as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. l. Preferably the end flapsF and G arcinterlocked with each other, the device for this purposeillustrated consisting of an oblique slit f in the flap F and a curvedslit g in the flap G, said slit g forming a lateral tongue g', which isadapted to enter through the slit f, and thus interlock the partstogether lOO by the engagement of the inner end of the slit f with theinner end of the slit g, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. To facilitate theconnection of the parts the slit f is shown as extended to the free ortop edge of the flap by means of a transverse slit f extending along theline of fold at the base of the iiap F. This construction, however, ismerely used for convenience, and the slit f may be located entirely inthe body of the flap.

The process of folding the blank is clearly illustrated in Figs. l and2. Fig. 2 shows the parts after the flaps F and G have been interlockedand before the flap E is folded upwardly against the same. Theinterlocking of the iiaps F and G is readily accomplished at the timethe sides B and G are folded upwardly, the tongue g being inserted intothe slit f and thrust downwardly therein un til the flaps completelyoverlap each other, the engagement of the inner ends of the slits f g atsuch time holding the flaps together and the side walls B and C parallelwith cach other. In folding said flaps F and G together the flap F,attached to the front wall, will preferably be folded outside of theflap G, so that the body of said Hap F will rest between the flaps G andE and its free upper edge will be confined by the flap E when the latteris turned up and its tongue c connected with the iiap Il. The saidtongue e will preferably be connected with the flap II when the latterflap is in its unfolded or vertical position, so that when the said flapII and tongue c are together folded inwardly the bending of the tongueover the flap Il and the edge of the flap F will resultin drawing thebody of the flap E tightly across or over said flap F, thus securing asmooth, fiat and square end to the box when folded.

It will be observed that the box end, formed by the three overlappingflaps E, F, and G, will not only be very strong and rigid, but theinterlocking of the tongue e with the flap Hand the unfolding of theside flap and tongue together will offer a strong support for the end ofthe top D when the latter is folded down to close the box. Vhile Iprefer to fold the end flaps F and G together in such manner that theflap E is outside of the flap G, yet they may be reversely folded, inwhich case the end flap E will be in immediate con tact with the flap G,and the tongue c being engaged with the silt 7L when the flap II isupright the end flap E will be drawn or strained tightly when the flapII is bent inwardly, owing to the tongue c being drawn or folded overthe angle at the junction of the flaps Gand H, as before described. Iprefer, however, to fold the flap F outside of the flap G, as the end isthereby made very stron g and rigid, and the parts are drawn or heldtightly together by reason of the presence of the fiap F between theflaps G and E, as herein` before stated.

The box shown in Fig. 4 is like that shown in Fig. l, with the exceptionthat instead of l tongue e.

is accomplished in a manner slightly different dition, which is madefrom a blank like that illustrated in Fig. 3, with the following slightmodification, viz: The slits 7L 7i in the flaps II are omitted and otherslits d3 d3 are formed in the top wall D near the end of the same inproper position to receive the tucks c' c of In this case the folding'of the parts from that before described. The end flaps F and G beingfirst folded together and interlocked, the flaps II are then turned inover the open part of the box. The top D is then folded over and itsiiap CZ inserted within the front wall, and the end flaps E are thenfinally bent upwardly and their tongues e carried over the top wall Dand secured by the insertion of the tucks e c. in the slits d:g (Z3.

The last-described construction has the advantage of making a very tightbox, the folding of the tongues e e over the ends of the cover D servingto tightly close the joints at this place, it being obvious that thecover in this construction will be supported at its ends by resting onthe infolded flaps II and will bc held or confined against said flaps IIby the tongues e c.

The box shown in Fig. 0 combines the features illustrated in Figs. 4.-and 5, the top D in this instance not only having the slit d3 to permitthe interlocking of the tongue e therewith, but having a front iiap D'having tucks d, d, and d2, by which the said iiapD'is scoured to thefront wall B.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a construction in which the end flaps F and G aremerely folded together and are not actually interlocked with each other.I this instance, however, I pro- 4 vide a special construction forholding the said flaps together or in their overlapped position duringthe folding of the box, the same being as follows: In this instance theslits 7L 7L of the i Hap II are extended downwardly to the crease orline of fold between the iiaps G and Il, while the tucks e' e of thetongue e are formed by notches c2 c2 located at the fold or crease bywhich the said tongue c is joined to the r flap E. In this constructionof the parts the flaps F and G are folded together with the flap Foutside of the flap G, and while the parts are held in this positionwith the flap II u )right the tucks e c are inserted in the i slits 7Lh. The notches e2 being at the ripper margin of the flap E when thetucks are inserted in the slits 7L 7i, theywill bind against the loweredges of said slits, and thus serve to coniine the flap F, the upperedgeof which I 3 will be engaged and held by the lower edges of the tucks ec where the same enter the said slits h 7L. The said iiap F being thusheld from movement relatively to the Hap G,

IIO

the side walls will obviously be confined so that they cannot spreadapart at their upper edges and will be held in place sufficientlyv topermit the proper folding of the box. I prefer, however, in connectionWith the box thus made to use a front flap D having tucks to engage thefront Wall of the box in the manner shown in Figs. 4: and 5.,

All of the forms of boxes described have the advantage otpossessingiiat, smooth and square ends and of having generally a smooth and neatappearance. This is especially desirable in those kinds oi. cartonswhich are used without extern al w1appers-sucl1, for instance, as thoseused for the delivery of merchandise or for packing articles likecrackers, which are sold to customers in the original packages. Suchboxes are, however, owing to their smooth and uniform shape, especiallyalso adapted ft'or use in connection with external paper wrappers, andthis is especially true of the form shown in Fig. 1,Which,\vhen the topis. folded and its tuck inserted within the front wall, has theappearance of perfect exterior uniformity With continuous iiat surfaceson all sides,.and Without any visible tucks, slits or otherirregularities. Such a box maybe covered by a paper Wrapperpastedthereon, and when so covered will make a package practically as squareand clean as though constructed of Wood or of cut and pasted strawboard.

The form of the blank employed is highly advantageous because it is ofpractically rectangular form and may be made practically without Wasteof material. In other Words, the double end flaps E and II, While addinggreatly to the strength, rigidity and smoothness ot appearance of thebox, involve no loss of material, because the external iiaps H aret'ormed from a part of the sheetvhich would need to be cut oit1 orremoved in case such flaps were not used.

I claim as my inventionl. A box comprising connected bottom, side andtop Walls, which bottom and side Walls have end naps; the ond flaps onone of the side Walls having later. l iiaps, which are folded inwardlyover the open top of the box beneath the top Wall thereof, and the flapsin the bottom Wall being bent upwardly outside of the other flaps andsecured at their free or outer ends to the body of thc box,substantially as described.

2. Abox comprising connected bottom and side Walls, provided with endilaps, the end flaps on one of the side Walls having lateral Vfiaps withwhich the end flaps of the bottom Wall are constructed to interlock,substantially as described.

S. A box comprising connected bottom and side Walls; said bottom wallshaving opposite ilaps provided with tongues and the side Walls havingend laps,wliioh end iiaps on one of the Walls are provided with lateraliiaps having slits with Which the said tongues on the bottom Walls areadapted to interlock, substantially as described.

si. A box comprisingconnected bottom and side walls, the said bottomWall having end flaps provided with tongues having lateral tucks and theside Walls having end naps of which those on one of the sidewalls areprovided With lateral iiaps, which lateral iiaps are provided with slitsfor engagement With the said tucks in said tongues, substantially asdescribed.

5. A box comprising connected bottom and side "Walls and having endiiaps on its bottom Wall and having also end liaps on its side Walls,which are provided with interlocking means, said end iiaps on one of theside 'walls being provided with lateral flaps, with which the said endflaps on the bottom Wall are adapted to interlock at their free edges,substantially as described.

6. A box comprising connected bottom, side and top Walls, and in whichthe bottom Wall is provided with end flaps and the side walls are alsoprovided with end flaps of Which those on one of the side Walls havelateral flaps adapted t-o be interlocked With the iiaps on the bottomWall; said top Wall having a iiap at its free edge adapted forengagement with the opposite side Wall,substan tially as described.

7. A box comprising connected bottom and side Walls and having at theends of its bot' tom Wall end flaps, and on its side Walls end iiaps,which latter are provided With longitudinal and transverse slits byWhich they may be interlocked together said end ilaps on one of saidside Walls having lateral flaps connected therewith, which lateral flapsand the end flaps of the bottom Wall are provided with interlockingmeans, by which they may be secured together, substantially as described. p

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I afx mysignature, in presence of two Witnesses, this 3d day of May, A. I).1395.

WARREN B. IIOIVE. lVitnesses:

,lavnon E. BROWN, ALBERT ll. Gnrwnsv IOO IIO

